History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties : containing a concise history of the state, with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named counties, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families
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680

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C'o HISTORY OF TEXAS.

of Mississippi and Tennessee, respectively.The father followed farming many years,and in 1850 located in the old town of Bastrop,Texas, and was soon afterward electedSheriff of the county. Ile held that officefrom the first election to the close of his life,in 1862, at the age of forty-seven years.During the late war he espoused the causeof the South, but did not participate in thestruggle, as he was a cripple. He was aman of moderate circumstances on landingin this county, but his ventures here provedquite successful. Mrs. Gill survived herhusband only until 1866, when sle too departedthis life. They were the parents often children, viz.: Thomas A., of Stockton,California; Nancy, deceased, was the wife ofBailey Stroud; Louisa, now Mrs. Kirk, ofCalifornia; Eliza, deceased, was the wife ofReuben Stroud; Robert, of Bastrop; Joseph,a resident of the same county; Peter J., thesubject of this sketch; Albert, of California;Mary, wife of G. N. Pierce, of Bastrop, andJames, a resident also of Stockton, California.P. J. Gill was educated in the town ofBastrop. In 1865 he joined Captain Hogan'scompany, Colonel Baylor's regiment of TexasCavalry, and served for six months in theTrans-Mississippi Department, but nevertook part in any engagements. After theclose of hostilities Mr. Gill engaged in farmingand butchering in Bastrop, but twoyears later gave his attention entirely to tlhel tter occupation, which he continued tenyears. From 1881 to 1885 he was a dealerin stock, for the following three years residedin San Saba county, then remained inBastrop until 1888, and in that year came tohis present location. He owns part of oneof the finest farms on the Colorado river inBastrop county, which was locatelby hisfather-in-law in 1849. The place now has

1,100 acres under a fine state of cultivation.In 1890 Mr. Gill erected a good framebuilding on this place, where he is engagedin general merchandising, carrying a stockof $5,000, and does an annual businessamounting to about $25,000. In additionto this, he also owns and conducts a publicgin, and during the year of 1892 he ginnedabout 700 bales, 230 bales of which was'raised on his own farm. He is also largelyengaged in stock-raising.Mr. Gill was married October 27, 1875, toMiss Mary A. Moore, who was born inBastrop county, Texas, December 27, 1855,the youngest child of Mayor A. Woods andMary (Miller) Moore, natives of Alabamaand Mississippi. The father came overlandwith his family and slaves to Texas, landingin Bastrop county in 1849. He immediatelypurchased the farm on which our subjectnow resides, consisting of a league of Coloradoriver bottom land. He afterward soldpart of this tract until he owned a plantationof 1,750 acres for some years, but subsequentlyadded 400 acres more. On firstlocating in this county, Mr. Moore was engagedin the sawmilling business on the eastside of the river, in company with a Mr.Sims. In 1850 he began the erection of thehandsome and commodious residence whichstill ornaments the farm, and which at thattime was the finest residence in the county.Mr. Moore located the trees from which thelumber for this building was cut, and thelumber was sawed and the house erectedunder his own supervision. Mr. Moore continuedthe milling industry only a few years,after which he began the improvement of hisfarm. Under his able management the placesoon developed into what is now one of themost beautiful places in the county. Hefollowed farming until hie death, in 1887,

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Lewis Publishing Company, publisher.History of Texas, together with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson counties : containing a concise history of the state, with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named counties, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families,
book,
1893;
Chicago.
(texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth29785/m1/730/:
accessed May 24, 2018),
University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu;
.